gingerfoxgus's Profile

I just moved to Orange County (Irvine/Newport Beach border) and some family is coming in from out of town to visit from the Bay Area. I need some good places that I can take them. One of them is gluten free but willing to eat pretty much anything else. Big ethnic eaters, but I would prefer not to go have tacos or pho. Lunch and dinner recs would be helpful. Max price about $35-40 each, not including alcohol. Thank you!!

I wanted to go to A16 next Friday and was really happy with myself for thinking of making reservations a week in advance. Apparently thats not enough, as the only times for 2 were 5:15 and 9:45. Where else can I go that is similar in quality and ambiance? It does not have to be Italian, either.

I used to live in Cusco and these were always the most popular spots friends who were visitors. I have been to them as well and found them to be quite good. In Cusco, try to stay away from the Plaza de Armas area for food. It is overly touristy and full of so so food. Up by the Hotel Augustin there are a lot of good choices, as well. Just because places look eh that does not mean they are not good.

Fallen Angel-in the same plaza as the Hotel Monestario (I believe it is Plaza Nazarenas). Its mostly a steak restaurant (beef not alpaca) but is really good for unique peruvian flavors on a palate that you know a little better.

El buen pastor--a bakery on the way up to Plaza San Blas. It is run by nuns for orphans. Good snack foods.

A mi manera--I don't know if this place is still around, although I hope it is. I really liked the food and our waiter was great! 393 triunfo.

Pachapapa--Plaza San Blas. Really good traditional Peruvian food. I recommend the aji de gallina.

MAP cafe--next door to Fallen Angel. It is in the courtyard of a museum. VERY pricey compared to other choices, but very worth it too.

Right of the plaza de armas is Santa Carolina which has a good gelato/ice cream place. Also on that street is la cueva de rafael I believe it is called. I went there with a big group of friends from the UK and it was not bad.

As for Machu Picchu, Aguas Calientes is not that great food wise. Last time I was there, I went to Chez Maggy for pizza. It was ok, not phenomenal.

Personally, I am not a huge fan of chifa, although some places do it pretty well. If you stop in Urubamba, there is a decent chifa place right on the main street right up from the grifo (gas station). The hotel places along the highway are very tourist centered and have people try to sell you things while you are waiting to get back on the bus. Also, there are a couple of good places around the Plaza de Armas. On one corner is a good fancier restaurant, although the name is escaping me right now.

Must try food items:Aji de gallina, mazamora (a dessert that is kind of like jello), chupe, ceviche (mostly in Lima), and please drink an Inca Kola for me.

Good luck, have fun. Peru, esp Cusco, is my favorite place in the world basically.

Some friends of mine have kids that were just accepted to Cal and will be coming up to visit Fri-Sat of this week. They asked me if there were any good places they could get a reservation for 9 people on Friday night sort of around campus. It has to be good and not $1 noodles like I used to eat as a student. Any cuisine, too. Probably the farthest they would want to go is Piedmont in Oakland and Albany in the other direction. Thanks in advance!

I am looking for a restaurant in the valley or on the Westside that is like RNM or The Blue Plate in San Francisco. Or any other place that is similarly good in the same American cuisine way? Thanks in advance!

I am trying to help plan my mom's 50th birthday in mid/late september. she loves all kinds of foods and atmospheres, but would probably like to stay away from kitsch or mexican. something nice--we were considering mastro's and roy's but i think they both already had parties booked the weekend in question. any suggestions would be much appreciated!

My boyfriend and I have a deal where we each pick a new restaurant every weekend to check out. The only two requirements are that it is in the East Bay and fairly inexpensive. We both like everything, but I would be interested in anything from various African cuisines to Argentinian to Mexican to Italian to Thai to Indian... Anything goes. Asian food recs are ok, but there is a lot of that around.

Im looking for a place to take my mom for dinner next week. Everything that I know of is either really casual or too fancy (a la Myth or Jardeneire). I just want something nice, not too pretentious, and most of all delish. She has been to Sauce and Colobri before and likes them. Blue Plate? Ame?

I am looking for a place either in the east bay or sf to throw a birthday party this weekend for a friend. We are all recent graduates and some of us are still in school, but up to $30 entree is ok. Preferably, it would be something really fun and unusual. I heard good things about Aziza, so something like that would be good, or maybe something else. I dont know about supperclub, but maybe something in that vein also. Any suggestions?